Senior Benefits Manager

Saul Ewing•New York, NY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Saul Ewing is seeking an experienced Senior Benefits Manager to provide senior-level oversight, strategic leadership, and administrative excellence across the firm’s benefits programs. The role leads the strategic design, compliance, vendor management, and ongoing development of employee benefits, retirement plans, and wellness initiatives. The Senior Benefits Manager serves as a subject matter expert, supervises benefits team members, partners with firm leadership, and provides service and support to firm members. This position reports to the Director of Human Resources and is listed as full-time and exempt. The role follows a hybrid work schedule; candidates must live within a reasonable commuting distance of one of the firm’s office locations. The anticipated annual pay range is $175,000–$190,000, with compensation determined by relevant skills, experience, education, external market data, internal equity, and other job-related factors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and education.
At least 7 to 10+ years of progressive benefits management experience in a law firm or professional services environment, including senior-level benefits operations and compliance leadership.
Advanced executive communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build consensus across leadership and staff.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, including data analysis, financial modeling, VLOOKUPs, and pivot tables.
Strong technical background and expertise in HRIS and benefits administration software.
Demonstrated experience in strategic vendor negotiations, vendor oversight, and SLA management.
Deep knowledge of ERISA, ACA, HIPAA, FMLA, COBRA, IRS and DOL regulations, and legal compliance for benefits and retirement programs.
Demonstrated track record in strategic development, rollout, and optimization of enterprise employee benefits programs.

Nice To Haves

Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), CBP, or SHRM-SCP/SPHR certification.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction and senior-level oversight for the benefits department, aligning programs with firm growth, competitive benchmarks, and member needs.
Direct the annual open enrollment process and develop recommendations on plan options, design, pricing, and cost sharing.
Lead, manage, mentor, and support the professional development of benefits team members.
Handle complex, sensitive, and high-impact employee benefits inquiries as the internal escalation point.
Manage relationships with benefits administrators, insurance carriers, brokers, and vendors, and monitor service-level agreements, metrics, and performance targets.
Administer, evaluate, and expand wellness programs and total rewards initiatives.
Collaborate with the CFO, Controller, and Benefits Committee on partner-specific benefits matters, executive compensation alignment, and financial forecasting.
Oversee retirement plan management and fiduciary compliance, including 401(k) plans, Form 5500 filings, annual audits, nondiscrimination testing, and statutory requirements.
Ensure compliance with requirements governing welfare programs, including COBRA, HIPAA, ACA, FMLA, and workers’ compensation.
Draft, review, and implement benefits documentation, including plan texts, amendments, summary plan descriptions, and insurance policies, in consultation with legal advisors.
Partner with Procurement on benefits vendor contract negotiations, contract compliance, and service delivery.
Conduct financial analyses and prepare reports for executive management on the strategic and financial impact of benefits and retirement activities.
Oversee firmwide benefits communications to ensure information is transparent, timely, and accessible.
Partner with the Senior HRIS Administrator on data integration, feed reliability, and system configuration for benefits enrollments, status changes, qualifying events, and open enrollment.
Provide additional assistance and support as directed by the supervisor.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned; the job description may change at any time.